SMS marketing can be a great way to send messages to your target audience. But like all marketing, you want to make sure that it is done well so that it is worth your time and investment. SMS marketing will create an additional channel that can be used to connect with your customers, helping you to broaden your reach and share key messages. If you are new to this marketing channel or simply want to improve your SMS marketing, here are 8 key things you need to know to make sure it is a success.
1. Good Software
While it is possible to send messages from your own phone, you should never, ever send a marketing SMS from your own personal phone directly to individual consumers.
You’ll want to get professional service if you intend to optimize your SMS marketing. This will help you to send bulk messages, track your campaigns, and assess the performance of your marketing. Good software will show you open rates as well as leads generated by different SMS campaigns so that you can see which ones had the biggest impact.
2. Thorough Plan
The best way to make sure your SMS marketing is a success is to develop a comprehensive plan. Put together a schedule outlining when you will send messages and what text each message will contain. Take note of the times that you send out messages as this can have an impact on the success of your campaigns. Schedule different messages for different days at different times to target different groups of consumers.
3. Understand Your Audience
With all marketing, knowing your audience is vital. Who are they? What do they like and dislike? Why are they interested in your business? Make sure you invest in research so that you have a clear picture of the people you want to target. Consider their age, likes, and dislikes, and why they are interested in your business. Use this information to curate text that will specifically appeal to them and catch their attention, rather than being too broad or vague. This information will help to guide the content of your messages and make sure you are engaging the right people.
4. Clear Messaging
An SMS doesn’t give you much room to work with – a total of 160 characters, in fact. While this might seem restrictive, it actually forces you to get straight to the point and engage your audience straight away. This means you have to be very clear and deliberate with the information you want to share. Always use clear messaging so you can guarantee that your target audience understands exactly what you are saying. Be as concise as you possibly can as you need to engage consumers from the instant they begin reading the SMS.
5. Strong Call-To-Actions
Since you only have limited space to convey your message, make it count. Always include a call-to-action to get the most out of your SMS marketing campaigns. You want it to be completely clear how consumers can take the next step to engage with your business, otherwise, they will simply disregard the message and your marketing will be a waste of time and money. Outline exactly how an individual can get more information or make a purchase. Without this, there is a good chance people will just delete the message because it is too difficult to follow up.
6. Consider Timing
SMS marketing is most effective when you consider timing. Certain demographic groups have been found to use their phones at certain times of the day. Do some research on your target audience to get an idea of when they will be on their phones, then make sure your messages are sent during these time periods to maximise engagement.
For instance, full-time workers might be on their phones the most during their morning commute, while parents may check their phones at night, after the children have gone to bed. Know your audience so you understand when your messages will have the biggest likelihood of success.
7. Make Sure to Gather Contacts Legally
While it is important to build your contact list so that you can maximize your reach, make sure that you do this legally. Every individual must consent to receive marketing material from you via SMS, otherwise, it is illegal.
8. Assess the Effectiveness of Your Campaign
Once you have conducted an SMS marketing campaign (or any marketing campaign), it is critical that you spend some time evaluating its effectiveness. You should evaluate what worked and what didn’t so that you can improve on your campaign next time. You also want to make sure that this type of marketing works with your audience.
Learn more about how you can use SMS Marketing campaigns to improve engagement with your customers.